Serves 2

Eat it with chapatis, or with rice, by itself or alongside a meat curry. It's good cold too: try rolling it in a ready made 'wrap' (thin bread) from the supermarket. Adjust the cayenne or chilli to your taste, and use either new potatoes, which keep their shape, or floury ones which collapse a little and give a creamy texture to the curry.

450 g (1 lb) runner beans

2 medium potatoes

2 tbsp vegetable oil

2 cloves garlic, crushed

1 tsp ground coriander

1/4 tsp ground turmeric

up to 1/4 tsp cayenne or a chopped green chilli

1 tsp curry powder

salt

1/4 tsp garam masala

1. String the beans and cut them into 1 cm (1/2 inch) pieces.

2. Peel the potatoes and cut them into 1 cm (1/2 inch) cubes.

3. Put the potatoes in a strainer along with the beans and rinse under a tap.

4. Heat the oil in a nonstick deep pan (one which has a lid) and add the garlic, coriander, turmeric, cayenne or chilli, curry powder and about half a teaspoon salt. Stir for a few seconds and then add the washed vegetables.

5. Mix well, cover and cook on a medium low heat, stirring every 3 - 4 minutes for about 15 - 20 minutes until done. It will cook in its own steam so don't add any water.

6. Now sprinkle on the garam masala, mix well, and turn off the heat. Serve with a dollop of plain yoghurt or raita.